Detective says family of Chloe killed in Aberdeen flat have faced ‘living nightmare’

A senior detective today said the family of a woman killed in an Aberdeen flat have faced a “living nightmare”.

The officer spoke out after Mark Bruce, 32, admitted strangling 20-year-old Chloe Miazek to death during a sex act at a flat on Rosemount Viaduct.

The pair had met after a night out in the city and were strangers.

Bruce appeared at the High Court in Aberdeen and admitted culpable homicide – having originally been charged with murder after Chloe’s death on November 3 last year.

Mark Bruce.

And speaking after the court appearance, Detective Inspector Gary Winter, of the Major Investigation Team, said it was a “difficult” and “unusual” investigation.

Chloe’s family, who live in Kemnay, said after the court appearance: “We remain absolutely devastated following the death of our beautiful daughter and sister, Chloe.

“She was in the prime of her life and had so much to look forward to and it is difficult for us to comprehend that she is not here with us today.

Police outside the flat on Rosemount Viaduct.

“Chloe was a loving daughter to Bob and Theresa, sister to Nathan and friend to many, including her work at Tesco in Inverurie.

“She will be sorely missed and we ask for privacy as we come to terms with her untimely death.”

Det Insp Winter was involved in the investigation into Chloe’s death.

He said: “Chloe Miazek was on a night out with friends on November 2.

“She ended up getting separated from her friends, and when she was outwith the pub she had a random meeting with Mark Bruce.

“They ended up getting a taxi back to Mark Bruce’s flat, they go into it at about 3am and Mark Bruce leaves his flat at about 6am.

“About 6.25am Mark Bruce calls at Rosemount Police Office and indicates that he’s done something bad and strangled a girl that he’s met, and she’s at his flat.

“We go there and confirmed that there was a dead body there and an investigation began.

“It’s a very, very unusual case.”

Police at the scene on Rosemount Viaduct.

Officers from major investigation units in Aberdeen and Dundee, the criminal investigation department and forensic specialists were on the scene to piece together the set of circumstances leading to Chloe’s death.

An integral part of the police investigation was ensuring that the scene and any evidence was preserved.

Det Insp Winter said: “Any investigation that starts off with a murder inquiry has a lot of different agencies investigating.

“The first thing we needed to do was identify the body.

“We didn’t know it was Chloe, and he didn’t know who she was.

“It wasn’t a ‘who done it’ investigation, we had to piece together what order it happened in, and how it happened.

“It was a difficult investigation.”

Det Insp Winter added: “As a result of Bruce’s actions, Chloe’s family have faced a living nightmare no family should ever have to suffer.

“Chloe was a bright young woman with her whole life ahead of her – a life that was cruelly cut short that night.

“It’s difficult to find words to bring any comfort to such a tragic, needless situation, however, I can only hope that the outcome and admission of guilt can help in some small way.

“My thoughts are with Chloe’s family.

“It’s a tragic set of circumstances.”

Aberdeen High Court.

During the hearing at the High Court in Aberdeen, Advocate Depute Jo McDonald told the court that Chloe had been told to leave Nox nightclub on Justice Mill Lane at about 1.40am on November 3 because she was intoxicated.

The psychology student went to a bus stop on Holburn Street where she met Bruce, who had just left a nearby pub and had earlier that evening drank six pints of lager and around five or six rum and cokes.

The court heard the pair were captured on CCTV walking away hand in hand from the bus stop, and later took a taxi to Bruce’s home address at Rosemount Viaduct.

She was last seen alive on CCTV at about 3am.

Ms McDonald told the court that Bruce went to a police station near his flat four hours later.

She said he told officers “I’ve done something terrible, I’ve killed someone”, and when asked for clarification, he told them “I’ve strangled her, she’s on the bed”.

Defence advocate Brian McConnachie QC said evidence had been disclosed from a former partner of Miss Miazek that “erotic sexual asphyxiation” was something that she was interested in.

He said: “Her former partner always declined.

“I do not want to wish to sound like I am suggesting that she was the author of her own misfortune, but it was a significant factor in this case.

“The accused cannot remember all that happened, but it seems that they had a shared interest in that particular practice.

“There was no intention to kill and no wicked recklessness to suggest a murderous purpose.”